Adaptive forest governance to face land use change impacts in Italy: a review

Il cambiamento dell’uso del suolo è uno dei driver principali della riduzione della resilienza ecosistemica, così come della perdita di biodiversità e approvvigionamento di servizi. Rappresenta una sfida peculiare, specialmente negli ambienti mediterranei, dove i fenomeni di abbandono e ricolonizzazione naturale stanno minacciando in modo sempre più crescente la capacità delle foreste di fornire benefici alle comunità locali. In queste condizioni, il sistema di governance forestale è chiamato a bilanciare gli impatti del cambiamento dell’uso del suolo con l’assicurazione della salute e della stabilità degli ecosistemi forestali, al fine di garantire la sostenibilità a lungo termine degli ambienti, soprattutto di quelli marginali. Questo lavoro si propone di analizzare in modo più approfondito gli impatti del cambiamento dell’uso del suolo sugli ecosistemi forestali negli ambienti montani italiani. In primo luogo, esegue un’analisi bibliografica dei concetti legati al cambiamento dell’uso del suolo e all’approvvigionamento dei servizi ecosistemici, dalla scala globale a quella locale. In seguito, indaga le relazioni fra le potenzialità adattive di gestione e pianificazione forestali e il cambiamento dell’uso del suolo. Infine, vengono proposte alcune strategie future di possibili strumenti di governance adattiva per affrontare i cambiamenti dell’uso del suolo. Questa infatti può migliorare la resilienza degli ecosistemi forestali riducendo il gap nel campo della ricerca tra il contesto nazionale e quello globale, utilizzando strumenti di valutazione e monitoraggio per simulare cambiamenti e disturbi esterni, e adottando strategie e misure politiche coerenti a scala locale.Land use change is one of the most important drivers for the reduction of ecosystem resilience, and the loss ofbiodiversity and services provision. This is a peculiar challenge, especially in Mediterranean mountain environments,where abandonment and forest transition phenomena increasingly threaten the forest capacity to provide benefits for local communities. Under these conditions, forest governance is called to balance the landuse change impacts and the health and stability of forest ecosystems, in order to ensure the long-term sustainabilityof such marginal environments. This paper aims at deeper understanding the impacts of land use change on forest ecosystem on mountain environments in Italy. At first, a downscaled review on the conceptsof land use change and ecosystem services provision is carried out. Then, according to the review results, therelationships between adaptive capacity of forest management and planning, and land use change is deeply described. Finally, future-oriented strategies of adaptive governance to face land use change are proposed. Inthe context of land use change, adaptive governance can improve forest resilience through filling the researchgaps between the national and the global contexts, adopting monitoring and assessment tools to simulate external changes and disturbances, and effectively implement consistent policy measures and strategies at localscale

Emergenze vegetali dell'Isola di Lampedusa

Per la peculiarit\ue0 storica, geografica ed ambientale l\u2019Isola di Lampedusa, e vista l\u2019estrema frammentariet\ue0 delle formazioni preforestali, l\u2019esiguit\ue0 dei popolamenti (e degli individui) delle specie legnose assumono un valore scientifico e conservazionistico particolarmente elevato. Per queste ragioni \ue8 stato fatto un censimento eseguito con strumentazione GPS. Sull\u2019isola crescono diverse specie di rilevante interesse conservazionistico, numerose sono infatti le specie endemiche, esclusive, rare e/o a rischio di estinzione perch\ue9 legate a habitat molto vulnerabili e localizzati. A questa ragione d\u2019interesse generale per questi taxa si somma il fatto che buona parte delle specie arboree tipiche della vegetazione primaria dell\u2019isola, il pi\uf9 delle volte sopravvivono localmente con popolamenti costituiti da pochissimi (e talora singoli!) individui. Juniperus turbinata e Olea europaea var. sylvestris sono le due specie forestali di gran lunga pi\uf9 comuni tra quelle indagate . Meno positivo \ue8 il risultato dell\u2019analisi della rinnovazione, che ha permesso di individuare appena una trentina di giovani individui di ginepro e nessuno di olivastro. La presenza delle due specie sull\u2019isola risulta circoscritta esclusivamente ai valloni stretti ed incisi che sboccano sulla costa meridionale dell\u2019isola, disegnando un complesso sistema in cui si alternano profonde insenature e pendii rocciosi subpianeggianti. Per ambedue le specie si \ue8 registrata una netta prevalenza (ca. 80% dei ginepri e ca. 95% degli olivastri!) in corrispondenza delle esposizioni meridionali dell\u2019isola che, sebbene pi\uf9 soleggiate godono dell\u2019effetto benefico dei venti umidi provenienti da meridione

Radiological research activity 1998–2007: relationship to gross domestic product, health expenditure and public expenditure on education

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of the radiological research activity from 1998 to 2007 to the gross domestic product (GDP), health expenditure and public expenditure on education. Methods The population-adjusted research activity determined by the number of articles published, the cumulative impact factor (IF) and the cumulative IF per capita were correlated with per capita values of the GDP, health expenditure and public education expenditure. Linear regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results The cumulative IF per capita correlated with the GDP per capita (R = 0.94, P  0.05). Conclusion Radiological research activity demonstrates a close relationship to the GDP, health expenditure and public expenditure on education. The last factor independently predicts research activity

The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter: Structure, Function, and Pharmacology.

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake is crucial for an array of cellular functions while an imbalance can elicit cell death. In this chapter, we briefly reviewed the various modes of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and our current understanding of mitochondrial Ca(2+) homeostasis in regards to cell physiology and pathophysiology. Further, this chapter focuses on the molecular identities, intracellular regulators as well as the pharmacology of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter complex

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: The Relation between Hepatitis B Antigen Expression, Telomere Length, Senescence, Inflammation and Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to the development of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We hypothesized that HBV might accelerate hepatocyte ageing and investigated the effect of HBV on hepatocyte cell cycle state and biological age. We also investigated the relation between inflammation, fibrosis and cell cycle phase. METHODS: Liver samples from patients with chronic HBV (n = 91), normal liver (n = 55) and regenerating liver (n = 15) were studied. Immunohistochemistry for cell cycle phase markers and HBV antigens was used to determine host cell cycle phase. Hepatocyte-specific telomere length was evaluated by quantitative fluorescent in-situ hybridization (Q-FISH) in conjunction with hepatocyte nuclear area and HBV antigen expression. The effects of induced cell cycle arrest and induced cellular senescence on HBV production were assessed in vitro. RESULTS: 13.7% hepatocytes in chronic HBV had entered cell cycle, but expression of markers for S, G2 and M phase was low compared with regenerating liver. Hepatocyte p21 expression was increased (10.9%) in chronic HBV and correlated with liver fibrosis. Mean telomere length was reduced in chronic HBV compared to normal. However, within HBV-affected livers, hepatocytes expressing HBV antigens had longer telomeres. Telomere length declined and hepatocyte nuclear size increased as HBV core antigen (HBcAg) expression shifted from the nucleus to cytoplasm. Nuclear co-expression of HBcAg and p21 was not observed. Cell cycle arrest induced in vitro was associated with increased HBV production, in contrast to in vitro induction of cellular senescence, which had no effect. CONCLUSION: Chronic HBV infection was associated with hepatocyte G1 cell cycle arrest and accelerated hepatocyte ageing, implying that HBV induced cellular senescence. However, HBV replication was confined to biologically younger hepatocytes. Changes in the cellular location of HBcAg may be related to the onset of cellular senescence

Moderate exercise improves cognitive function in healthy elderly people: Results of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Physical activity in the elderly is recommended by international guidelines to protect against cognitive decline and functional impairment. OBJECTIVE: This Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was set up to verify whether medium-intensity physical activity in elderly people living in the community is effective in improving cognitive performance. DESIGN: RCT with parallel and balanced large groups. SETTING: Academic university hospital and Olympic gyms. SUBJECTS: People aged 65 years old and older of both genders living at home holding a medical certificate for suitability in non-competitive physical activity. METHODS: Participants were randomized to a 12-week, 3 sessions per week moderate physical activity program or to a control condition focused on cultural and recreational activities in groups of the same size and timing as the active intervention group. The active phase integrated a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic exercises, including drills of “life movements”, strength and balance. The primary outcome was: any change in Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) and its subscales. RESULTS: At the end of the trial, 52 people completed the active intervention, and 53 people completed the control condition. People in the active intervention improved on the ACE-R (ANOVA: F(1;102)=4.32, p=0.040), and also showed better performances on the memory (F(1;102)=5.40 p=0.022) and visual-space skills subscales of the ACE-R (F(1;102)=4.09 p=0.046). CONCLUSION: A moderate-intensity exercise administered for a relatively short period of 12 weeks is capable of improving cognitive performance in a sample of elderly people who live independently in their homes. Clinical Trials Registration No: NCT0385811

Impact of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations on sustained virologic response in HCV-infected patients: Results from the GUARD-C Cohort

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, peginterferon alfa/ribavirin remains relevant in many resource-constrained settings. The non-randomized GUARD-C cohort investigated baseline predictors of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations (sr-RD) and their impact on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients receiving peginterferon alfa/ribavirin in routine practice. METHODS: A total of 3181 HCV-mono-infected treatment-naive patients were assigned to 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa/ribavirin by their physician. Patients were categorized by time-to-first sr-RD (Week 4/12). Detailed analyses of the impact of sr-RD on SVR24 (HCV RNA <50 IU/mL) were conducted in 951 Caucasian, noncirrhotic genotype (G)1 patients assigned to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin for 48 weeks. The probability of SVR24 was identified by a baseline scoring system (range: 0-9 points) on which scores of 5 to 9 and <5 represent high and low probability of SVR24, respectively. RESULTS: SVR24 rates were 46.1% (754/1634), 77.1% (279/362), 68.0% (514/756), and 51.3% (203/396), respectively, in G1, 2, 3, and 4 patients. Overall, 16.9% and 21.8% patients experienced 651 sr-RD for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, respectively. Among Caucasian noncirrhotic G1 patients: female sex, lower body mass index, pre-existing cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and low hematological indices were prognostic factors of sr-RD; SVR24 was lower in patients with 651 vs. no sr-RD by Week 4 (37.9% vs. 54.4%; P = 0.0046) and Week 12 (41.7% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.0016); sr-RD by Week 4/12 significantly reduced SVR24 in patients with scores <5 but not 655. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, sr-RD to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin significantly impacts on SVR24 rates in treatment-naive G1 noncirrhotic Caucasian patients. Baseline characteristics can help select patients with a high probability of SVR24 and a low probability of sr-RD with peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin

Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (LGMDs): The Clinical Application of NGS Analysis, a Family Case Report

The diagnosis of LGMD2A (calpainopathy) can be challenging due to genetic heterogeneity and to high similarity with other LGMDs or neuromuscular disorders. In this setting, NGS panels are highly recommended to perform differential diagnosis, identify new causative mutations and enable genotype-phenotype correlations. In this manuscript, the case of a patient affected by LGMD2A is reported, for which the application of a defined custom designed NGS panel allowed to confirm the diagnosis of calpainopathy linked with two heterozygous variants in CAPN3, namely c.550delA and c.1813G&gt;C. The first variant has been extensively described in relation to calpainopathy. The second variant c.1813G&gt;C, instead, is novel and has been predicted to be probably damaging. In addition, NGS analysis on the proband revealed a heterozygous variant (c.550C&gt;T) in the LMNA gene, which is associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. The variant is novel and has been predicted to be deleterious by subsequent bioinformatic analysis. Successively, segregation analysis was performed on family members. Interestingly, none of them showed neuromuscular symptoms but the mother was diagnosed with bradycardia and syncopal episodes and showed a positive family history for cardiomyopathy. The segregation analysis reported that the proband inherited the c.1813G&gt;C (CAPN3) from the father who was a healthy carrier. The mother was positive for c.550delA (CAPN3) and c.550C&gt;T (LMNA), suggesting thereby a possible genetic explanation for her cardiovascular problems. Segregation analysis, therefore, confirmed the inheritance pattern of the variants carried by the proband and highlighted a familiarity for cardiomyopathy which should not be neglected. The NGS analysis was further performed on the partner of the proband, to estimate the reproductive risk of the couple. The partner was negative to NGS screening, suggesting thereby a low risk to have an affected child with calpainopathy and 50% probability inherit the LMNA variant. This case report showed the clinical utility of the NGS panel in providing accurate LGMD2A diagnosis and identifying complex phenotypes originating from mutations in multiple genes. However, NGS results should always be accomplished by a dedicated genetic counseling, not only to evaluate the recurrence and reproductive risks but also to uncover unexpected findings which can be clinically significant